By this point, Patrick Williams has proven he's not a starting-caliber player in the NBA, but there's still a productive role he can fill for the Chicago Bulls this season: a reserve combo forward.
After five years in the league, it's fair to call the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft a bust. Across 276 career games, 211 of them starts, Williams has posted single-digit averages of 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. He's become a solid three-point shooter, connecting on 39.2 percent of his 3.1 triples per game, but hasn't developed much else.
The one-and-done freshman was a tantalizing prospect with elite physical traits coming out of Florida State. He's an elite athlete with a solid 6-foot-7 frame who can defend multiple positions and space the floor. What he seems to be missing is any inkling of competitiveness. Despite those natural gifts, Williams' lack of aggression can make it easy to forget he's even on the floor.
So maybe that's what the Bulls and head coach Billy Donovan need to lean into -- limit the 23-year-old's minutes and hope he can have more of an impact in shorter spurts against other teams' bench units.
The Chicago Bulls can only do one thing with Patrick Williams at this point
Williams will never make good on the five-year, $90 million contract Chicago's front office gave him last offseason. It could be the worst decision vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has made during his time with the Bulls, and that's not exactly a short list. All the organization can do is try to ignore that off-the-wall contract and focus on what value Williams can add to the team.
When Donovan inserted Matas Buzelis into the starting lineup in Williams' place for good last season, his minutes dropped from 26.6 to 22.9 per game. During that stretch, he averaged 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, down from 9.1 and 3.8, respectively, during the first 36 games he appeared in. His field goal attempts went from 8.6 down to 7.6, while his effective field goal percentage jumped from 46.5 to 52.9.
The Bulls were 16-11 over those final 31 games versus 15-21 over Williams' first 36.
Buzelis is a lock to be Chicago's starting power forward this year and will take on more of an offensive burden. Karnisovas acquired Isaac Okoro from the Cleveland Cavaliers, another athletic combo forward, only more proven and consistent. Ayo Dosunmu will start the year healthy and could slot into the starting group as a third guard.
Kevin Huerter is a guard/wing who will get a solid dose of minutes. Rookie Noa Essengue, the 12th pick in this year's draft, plays Williams' position. Julian Phillips is another wing/forward who played 14.2 minutes per game last season as a 21-year-old.
Williams proved to be a more efficient player as a reserve. He'll fill the same role in 2025-26, but his minutes could be cut even further with Okoro and Essengue in the fold. He would be an expensive 7th or 8th man, but he would be more of an asset to the Bulls as that type of contributor.
If he's stuck in Chicago for four more seasons, Donovan may as well get the best out of Williams and potentially deepen and improve his bench while doing it.